In a surprising turn of events, Nintendo sold just one brand new Wii U unit in September 2023, marking the first official sale of this last-generation system in over a year. This information comes from Mat Piscatella, an industry analyst at the market research firm Circana.
The Wii U was launched in 2012 and discontinued in 2017, so it is no surprise that consumers have largely lost interest in the platform. However, the fact that Nintendo managed to sell even one new unit in over a year is a testament to the console’s enduring appeal to collectors.
One reason why the Wii U is so popular among collectors is its limited availability. Nintendo stopped producing new Wii U units in 2017, and the eShop for the Wii U was closed in March 2023. This means that there are a finite number of Wii U units in existence, and their value is only going to increase over time.
Another reason why the Wii U is popular among collectors is its unique library of games. Many of the best Wii U games, such as Super Mario Maker, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Splatoon, are not available on any other platform.
The fact that Nintendo sold one brand new Wii U unit in over a year is a testament to the console’s enduring appeal to collectors. With its limited availability and unique library of games, the Wii U is only going to become more valuable over time.